The role of NFkappaB in regulating G1 arrest and maturation induced by the histone deacetylase inhibitor sodium butyrate (NaB) was examined in human myelomonocytic leukemia cells (U937). Cells stably transfected with an IkappaBalpha "super-repressor" lacking phosphorylation sites necessary for proteasomal degradation exhibited diminished IkBa phosphorylation and NF-kappaB DNA binding upon exposure to TNFalpha When exposed to NaB (1 mM; 48 hr) or PMA (5 nM; 24 hr), IkappaBalphaM cells displayed a marked reduction in G1 arrest compared to Neo controls. In each case, this was accompanied by a significant reduction in the percentage of cells expressing the differentiation markers CD11a, CD11b, and CD18. The impairment in NaB-induced maturation in mutant cells was associated with a reciprocal increase in apoptosis. In contrast to impairment in NaB- or PMA-induced NF-kappaB DNA binding, stable expression of the IkappaBalphaM did not modify DNA binding of SP1 or AP2 transcription factors. IkappaBalphaM cells also displayed impairment in NaB- and PMA-mediated induction of p21CIP1 and phosphorylation (inactivation) of p34cdc2, as well as diminished levels of pRb-bound E2F1. Finally, the NF-kappaB inhibitor CAPE antagonized NaB- and PMA-related NF-kappaB DNA binding as well as induction of p21CIP1. Together, these findings suggest that NF-kappaB plays an important functional role in mediating NaB-induced p21CIP1 induction, G1 arrest, and maturation in human myelomonocytic leukemia cells, and that disruption of the NF-kappaB pathway causes cells to engage an alternative, apoptotic program.